Digital collections

SCUA

University of Massachusetts Amherst. President, 1814-2007.

(129.5 linear feet).Call no.: RG 003

On November 29, 1864, the Board of Trustees for the Massachusetts Agricultural College created the Office of the President and elected Henry Flagg French as the first president of the newly created land grant institution. In 1970, the President’s office was relocated from the Amherst campus to separate offices in Boston, and the Office of Chancellor was established as the chief executive position at each of the five UMass campuses. The responsibilities of the President and of the central administrative staff are summarized in the University’s Governance Document of 1973: the president acts as the principal academic and executive officer of the University, presents policy recommendations to the Board of Trustees, keeps current a master plan of the University, prepares the annual budget, allocates the appropriated budget, appoints members of the faculty to tenure with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees, coordinates the work of all campuses of the University and promotes the general welfare of the University as a whole.

Containing the papers of individual presidents of UMass (1864-2007) and their Presidential Reports (1948-1984), the record group also includes records of central administrative offices, including the Secretary of the University, the Treasurer’s Office (1864-2007), and the Donahue Institute for Governmental Services (1970-2007). Collections for individual Presidents are filed separately in UMarmot under the President’s name.

Access restrictions: Access is restricted on some files of recent Presidents.

Historical Note

On November 29, 1864, the Board of Trustees for the Massachusetts Agricultural College created the Office of the President and elected Henry Flagg French as the first president of the newly created land grant institution. Permanent, acting, and interim presidents served until 1969, when the Board of Trustees created a separate central administration for the University, which was reorganized into a tripartite institution.

When the President’s office was relocated from the Amherst campus to separate offices in Boston in 1970, the Office of Chancellor was established as the chief executive position at each of the five campuses. The responsibilities of the President and of the central administrative staff are summarized in the Governance Document of the University which was adopted in 1973. The president acts as the principal academic and executive officer of the University, presents policy recommendations to the Board of Trustees, keeps current a master plan of the University, prepares the annual budget, allocates the appropriated budget, appoints members of the faculty to tenure with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees, coordinates the work of all campuses of the University and promotes the general welfare of the University as a whole.

Scope and Contents

The President’s Office records consist of the papers of individual presidents (1864-2007) and their Presidential Reports (1948-1984). Other major series include: Secretary of the University, specifically the papers of Secretary Robert J. McCartney (1957-1974), whose tenure spanned over two decades; Treasurer’s Office (1864-2007), which contains the campus financial records; and records of the Donahue Institute for Governmental Services (1970-2007).

00. Publications (except as noted below)

1948-2007

1. Organizational charts issued by President’s Office

1967-2007

1. Individual Presidents

1864-2007

Individual presidents are arranged by date of inauguration.

Henry Flagg French

1864-1866

Paul Ansel Chadbourne

1866-1867

William Smith Clark

1867-1879

Levi Stockbridge (acting)

1876

Charles L. Flint

1879-1880

Levi Stockbridge

1880-1882

Paul Ansel Chadbourne

1882-1883

Henry Hill Goodell (acting)

1883

James C. Greenough

1883-1886

Henry Hill Goodell

1886-1905

William Penn Brooks (acting)

1905-1906

Kenyon L. Butterfield

1906-1924

Edward M. Lewis (acting)

1912

Edward M. Lewis (acting)

1924-1926

Edward M. Lewis

1926-1927

Roscoe W. Thatcher

1927-1932

Hugh P. Baker

1932-1946

Ralph A. Van Meter (acting)

1947-1948

Ralph A. Van Meter

1948-1954

Jean Paul Mather

1954-1960

John William Lederle

1960-1970

Robert C. Wood

1970-1977

Franklin Patterson (acting)

1978

David C. Knapp

1978-1990

Joseph D. Duffey

1990-1991

E.K. Fretwell Jr. (interim)

1991-1992

Michael. Hooker

1992-1995

Sherry Penney (interim)

1995-1996

William Bulger

1996-2003

Jack M. Wilson (interim)

2003-2004

Jack M. Wilson

2004-2007

2. Vice President for University Policy

1947

3. Secretary of the University

1932-1974 (bulk 1951-1974)

4. Treasurer’s Office

1864-1948

1. Treasurer

1885-2007

2. Controller

1950s-2007

3. Financial Reports

1924-2007

4. Associate Treasurer

1969-1972

5. Director of Business Procedures and Project Planning

1952-1978

5. Assistant to the President for Liaison Services

1972-1975

6. Vice President for Academic Affairs

1973-1977

1. Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs

1974-1979

7. Vice President for Planning

1975-1977

8. Donahue Institute for Governmental Services (IGS)

1970-2007

9. Institute for Labor Affairs

1971-1974

10. Public Affairs

1864-2007

11. Vice President for Management and Business Affairs

1975-1981

12. Presidents Cabinet

1911-1947

13. Vice President For Management and Fiscal Affairs and University Treasurer